Mischief Not So Managed
by CSM
Summary: Future Fic. Rachel leaves Finn in charge of getting their three kids ready for their annual family Christmas portrait but things don't go exactly as planned.


**Title**: Mischief Not So Managed

**Author:** CSM

**Disclaimer:** I Don't own Glee,

** Summary**: Future Fic. Rachel leaves Finn in charge of getting their three kids ready for their annual family Christmas portrait but things don't go exactly as planned.

**AN: **This is for Helen (bealen on tumblr) I got your name for the finchel secret santa project! Merry Christmas! And I hope this is what you were hoping for :)

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><p><strong><span>Mischief Not So Managed<span>**

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><p>"Are you sure you're going to be able get them all ready in time?" Rachel asks nervously.<p>

"Babe, Nate is still sleeping and Chris and Ava practically dress themselves, I'll be fine." Finn responds as he rolls over the bed, his phone stuck to his ear.

He turns his head to check on their 5 month old, Nate who's sleeping soundly at the other side of his and Rachel's bed. There are enough pillows there to sleep an army; that are surrounding their son.

"Finn do _not_ let Ava choose her own outfit. I specifically pulled out the little elf dress for her. If she puts on something else, it will _never_ get taken off. I only booked the photographer for an hour and if we don't..."

"Rachel, breathe. You're acting like I've never even taken care of _our_ kids alone. I know how Ava can get, she's still sleeping, but when she's having breakfast and no _not_ that Cinnabon cereal she loves. I'll put out the dress for her on her bed. I'll make sure to get Chris _out_ of his Spongebob pjs _before_ he eats or else our Christmas card will read Merry Christmas from the Hudsons _and_ Spongebob."

"That's not even remotely funny." Rachel mutters, but Finn can hear the amusement in her tone, and he just knows she's trying not to smile at the thought, "And don't forget Nathan."

"Nate is 5 months old Rach." Finn says in amusement, as he watches their son sleep, his tiny little face pressed against his arm, his pamper clad bottom sticking up in the air as his tiny little back rises with each breath he takes. "You fed him just before you left. I'm pretty sure he'll be out like a light till you get back."

"Finn, I might be running a little late, you need to get them all ready _before_ I..."

"Baby. I got this under control. I gotta go wake up the munchkins. I love you and I'll see you soon."

Finn speaks rapidly and quickly presses the call end button before she goes off on a tangent, knowing he'll probably get an earful for that later. Finn places his phone back on the nightstand and then slips off the bed, moving to the other side of the bed to scoop the sleeping baby up.

Once Nate is settled back into his crib which is in the nursery, and the monitor is turn on. Finn hooks the other half onto the waist of his pants and leaves to wake up his other two children.

He walks into the room that five year old Chris and three year old Ava share. There are toys all over the place, each side of the room a stark contrast from the other. Ava and her princess decor covers every inch of her side of the room, while Chris who is currently obsessed with all things that is Spiderman, Batman and Superman, his entire side looks like a comic book exploded on it (as Kurt so affectionately calls his nephew's decor).

Finn makes a mental note to talk to Rachel about moving Ava into the spare bedroom, because sooner rather than later, their two kids and all their toys won't be able to survive being in this tiny space. Finn chuckles as he sees his sleeping son curled up on one side of the bed, his Spiderman blanket on the floor and the Spongebob pjs (Chris is _obsessed _with superheroes yet, Spongebob is his favourite pyjamas, Finn will never understand that) one leg is rolled up to his knee. There is drool all over Chris' pillow, Finn grins as he crouches to rub Chris' back.

"Hey buddy time to get up." Finn whispers chuckling as Chris grumbles and rolls to the other side, its scares Finn sometimes how much his son is like him.

"Chris." He tries again, and bites back a laugh when Chris kicks the bed in protest and the goes straight back to sleep.

"Daddy?" Ava soft voice calls out,

Finn turns around and smiles at Ava's little nose peeking out from under her Ariel blanket, her dark brown hair tousled all around the matching pillow. She sits up slowly still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Morning ladybug." Finn says warmly, moving over to her princess bed and sitting on the edge of it, he's always afraid he'll break this thing one of these days,"You want pancakes for breakfast?"

"Chrissy still sleepin?" Ava asks as she yawns loudly, as she crawls into Finn's lap, "Can I wakes him up?"

Finn chuckles as he rubs her back, trying to detangle her hair, he _really_ hopes Rachel gets home in time, because he has, not even the slightest clue how to deal with Ava's brown locks, and he's half in mind to just stuff it under the elf hat Rachel bought.

"How about we both wake him up?"

Ava grins up at him sliding off his lap and onto the floor, and before Finn could even react she shoots off towards her brother's bed and crawls on top of him sitting on his legs, "Chrissy! Wake up!"

"Ave I don't think..." Finn starts but Chris growls into his pillow annoyed.

"Ava get off!" Chris grumbles, and sure enough Ava slips off and sits next to her brother smiling brightly, as though she did nothing wrong, "Morning Chrissy. See Daddy. Him wake up."

Finn chuckles as she slips off the bed and tugs on Finns hand, "Can we gets pancakes now?"

"With chocolate chips?" Chris pipes up, Finn would have never have guessed he was just grumbling about waking up, but then again when it comes to food, his son's entire attitude can change in a heartbeat.

"Choc chips And supsup!" Ava says excitedly also trying to copy her brother.

"Its syrup, dofus." Chris says obnoxiously to his sister.

"Daddy!"

"Chris don't call your sister names." Finn says tiredly, he's lost track how many times he's had this same argument with them, as the three of them make their way out of the bedroom and head to the kitchen.

Rachel would kill him if he gave them both chocolate chips _and_ syrup so he knows he'll have to choose and hope that it does not bring on a tantrum from Ava, "Okay why don't you two go play, while Daddy makes some pancakes?"

"Can I help?" Ava asks excitedly, already climbing onto one of the stools at the centre isle of the kitchen.

Finn automatically puts a hand out so she does not fall just as he sees Chris run out of the room, and he remembers belatedly that he was suppose to get Chris out of those pyjamas _before_ he completely woke up so there wouldn't be a fight.

Finn shakes his head, deciding to deal with that later, "So Chef Ava Marie, are you ready to help me?"

To Finn's utter surprise Ava raises her tiny hand to her head and salutes him, well she turns her hand over and presses her knuckles to her forehead while saying, "Yes sir!"

Finn laughs, as he goes about getting the ingredients and the various bowls, "Who showed you that munchkin?"

"Uncle No-no." Ava says, there was a _huge_ debacle when Chris was learning to talk, and for some reason he could never say _Puck_ but instead only kept saying _fuck_ and the fact that both Finn and Puck found it hilarious meant that Rachel banned _all_ their children from ever calling Puck that. "Him say Aunty Quinn calls him dat. Daddy why she calls Uncle No-no sir?"

Finn groans shaking his head at his idiotic best friend for putting the things in his _three_ year olds mind, hell _Finn_ doesn't need to know what Puck and Quinn get up to."Uncle Noah is silly. Why don't you, throw in the flour for me?"

"Momma _never_ lets me do dat!" Ava says excitedly,

She grabs the sift on either side, her tiny little fingers squeezing the plastic tightly, and Finn is just about to ask why, when Ava _dumps_ the entire contents into the bowl _including_ the sift and thus most of the flour goes flying creating a puff of smoke around them. Ava giggles hysterically, flour all over her Cinderella pyjamas.

"Whoopsie." She says sheepishly as she grins at Finn, melting his heart before Finn could reprimand her.

"I guess _that's_ why Mommy, never let you do that." Finn mutters to himself, picking up a nearby hand towel and wiping Ava's face clean of flour, "Why don't you go choose something to wear and put these dirty clothes in your princess basket?"

"Okay Daddy." Ava says excitedly, giggling as Finn twirls her around and puts her on the floor, "Don't forgets the choco Chips."

"I won't. Promise." Finn says, knowing he has to actually _say_ the word promise or she won't leave, and it's not until he hears the door to the kid's room open down the hallway, he realizes he just told Ava to choose an outfit.

Rachel specifically said _not_ to let her do that. Finn shrugs slightly as he cracks an egg into the bowl, Rachel can be dramatic when she's ready, he's pretty sure it won't be _that_ bad.

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><p><em>Two hours later.<em>

"I don't wanna!" Ava screams, folding her arms tightly over her tiny chest and stomping her feet for added effect, "Daddy you told me I can choose my dress. I wanna be a ballerina!"

"But Ava bug, you have to be a little elf like Mommy. You're suppose to match," Finn says tiredly holding up the dress that Rachel has specially made for her and Ava so they'd both be wearing almost similar dresses, "Don't you want to be just like Mommy?"

"But I ams Daddy!" Ava says spinning in a circle, going on her tip toes and then spinning again her arms wide, "Momma is a ballerina, like me!"

Rachel had recently ended her two year stint playing a blind ballerina and Ava had take a great liking to that after she saw her mother for the first time a few months ago. Finn and Rachel had finally decided that Ava was probably old enough to sit through one of Rachel's three hour plus long musical, it also helped that the bright lights and pretty display helped keep the three year olds attention for most of the show.

"But Mommy's going to be an elf; don't you want to be one as well?" Finn asks trying to cajole her into changing her mind, but as he suspected, like mother like daughter, Ava is as stubborn as Rachel is and she simply huffs in annoyance and plops onto the floor her pink tutu flying up.

"Does this mean I can be batman?" Chris asks excitedly as he runs into the room jumping on his bed, surprisingly getting Chris to shower and change was easy; once Finn bribed the five year old with whip cream on his pancakes, something Finn knows will bite him in the ass when the sugar kicks in. So for now Chris was dressed in his undershirt and briefs.

"No. Your outfit is hanging on the closet." Finn says pointing to the where Rachel had Chris's red and white outfit, complete with Santa hat.

"I can't be Santa Daddy, there is only _one_ Santa. Sides he has a beard and _big _tummy. I don't have that see?" With that said Chris stands at the edge of his bed and pulls up his shirt, sticking out his tummy patting it and yelling "Ho Ho Ho."

Ava giggles widely clapping her hands, "Do again Chrissy! Ho ho ho! See Ava can be Santa too!"

"Santa is a boy you can't be Santa." Chris taunts as he pulls down his shirt to look at this sister, "Santa doesn't give presents to _girls_."

Finn watches as Ava's little shoulders slump and her eyes fill with tears as she immediately jumps on him, "Daddy! Chrissy say Santa no give girls gifts!"

"Christopher." Finn says in exasperation as he pats Ava's head reassuring her that Santa comes to all boys _and_ girls

"But Chrissy won't gets any gifts if he's naughty right Daddy?" Ava asks sniffling as she wipes her eyes in Finn's sleeve.

"Your sister has a point kiddo." Finn says looking at Chris pointedly.

Chris huffs dramatically as he jumps off his bed and walks up to Ava, narrowing his eyes at her, "Sorry for saying Santa only gives gifts to boys. Not my fault you're a little baby!"

With that said he laughs and runs out of the room cackling as he goes, Ava immediately bursting into tears, whimpering into Finn's shirt.

"Don't cry ladybug. Chris is just being silly." Finn says, "You know you're not a baby. Can Natey feed himself?"

"No." Ava response is muffle as she still has her face buried in Finn's t-shirt.

"Can he help Momma fold clothes?" Finn asks again smiling when Ava pulls back and finally looks at him her tiny face red with tear stained cheeks.

"I'm really good at dat. Momma says I'm better thans you Daddy!" Ava says giggling.

Finn chuckles wiping the tears from Ava's cheeks, "And who do think knows better Mommy or Chrissy?"

"Mommy knows _everything_." Ava says with slight awe, it never ceases to warm Finn's heart when he hears how much their kids, Ava especially, completely and utterly _adores_ Rachel.

There were some rough patches before Chris was born and many times after, where Rachel doubted her ability to be a good mother especially after the whole Shelby debacle in high school. But Finn likes to think that their kids prove to Rachel time and time again how amazing of mother she truly is, without Finn having even to prompt them, not that he needs to, but sometimes when Rachel is having a bad day, it's just nice to have 'snuggle Mommy time' something that _always_ brings a smile to Rachel's face."Don't you want to be an elf just like Mommy then?" Finn asks, crossing his fingers that this little episode might actually benefit him.

"Do I get a little hat like Momma's, and piggy tails?" Ava asks quietly.

Finn frowns, he can't plait to save his life, but his daughter doesn't need to know that, especially since he was _finally_ getting her out of the stupid ballerina costume, "Sure ladybug. Why don't you change and get your towel and wait for me?"

Ava quickly slips off of Finn's lap and immediately tugs the tutu over her head throwing it on the floor and starts tugging off her pink tights. How she was able to come up with that makeshift ballerina outfit, consisting of pink tights and a tank top was beyond him.

"I'm going to talk to him."

"Make sure and yells at him good Daddy." Ava said matter-of-factly as she drops her tank top on the floor, and plops down so she can begin to pull of the tights, "Tells him naughty boys gets coal from Santa."

"Where did you hear that one?" Finn asks in amusement, watching to make sure she doesn't need help getting out of her clothes.

"Andy told me." Ava says, referring to Kurt and Blaine's son, as she huffs in frustration at the tights refusal to come off her feet, after a few failed attempts the offended garment is finally off and pitched onto her bed and Ava smiles up at Finn in her Belle panties, "Cans I bathe with bubbles Daddy?"

"Not today Ava bug, Mommy's coming back soon to take pictures. Maybe later you can ask Mommy to bathe with bubbles." Finn says just before he leaves the room.

"Cans I bathe with the colourful ones?" Ava asks hot on his heels.

"Sure Ava." Finn says absentmindedly as he walks into the living room to see Chris play with some handheld game.

"Christopher." Finn calls out sternly,

He bites the inside of his lip when Ava wraps her arms around his leg and pokes her head around him pointing a finger at her brother, "Chrissy yous in trouble."

Chris looks at Ava opening his mouth, but then he looks at Finn, who tries to give sternest look he can muster, or as the kids say his 'Mommy look' but to Finn surprise Chris rolls his eyes and looks at his sister, "You're such a tattle tale."

"Am not!" Ava protests releasing Finn's leg and running after her brother.

Finn sighs tiredly about to follow them when a loud wail erupts from the baby monitor. He makes a bee line for the nursery not before calling over his shoulder as he passes the kids room, "Ava go wait for me in the bathroom. Chris, I want you changed into your outfit by the time I get your brother settled down."

Finn walks into the nursery frowning when he sees Nate lying on his back crying his little heart out. "Hey buddy, what's wrong?"

He goes over to the crib quickly picking up the baby and snuggling closer to his chest, swaying softly hoping to simmer the baby's tears, "It's okay. Daddy's got you."

"C'mon Nates no more tears today. Mommy wants to dress you up like a little Santa Claus." Finn says knowing his son wouldn't understand a thing he says, but at the mention of Rachel though Nate immediately begins to coo loudly.

Finn holds Nate in front of him and laughs at the tear filled smile he gets in return, "You just want Mommy huh? I totally understand kid."

Nate giggles in response and Finn chuckles as he checks to make sure Nate's pamper is dry and once he's sure he leaves the nursery heading to the kids room, "Now let's see if your brother and sister haven't killed each other yet."

When Nate giggles Finn snorts, "Don't let Mommy hear you have an evil streak kid, she'll start blaming me for letting Uncle Puck babysit you."

When he walks into the room he's surprise to see Chris almost fully dressed in a cute little white and red shirt with black slacks on and Finn chuckles when he sees the bright yellow Spongebob socks under the slacks. He's not even going to argue with his son on that, he'll leave that battle for Rachel. He shifts Nate to his hip and looks at Chris questioningly, "Where's your sister?"

"Bathroom."

Finn suddenly hears water crashing against the bathtub and gasp in horror as he takes off to the kids bathroom, Nate giggling madly in his arms as he sprints off. When he gets into the bathroom he freezes. Ava is standing in the middle of the tub an _empty_ bottle of 'Crayola Mix it up bubble bath' clasps in her tiny hand. The entire room smelling like berries

"Daddy look! I mades bubbles all myselves. Pink and purple ones. Aren't dey pretty?" Ava asks brightly as the tub slowly fills with _many_ bubbles.

"Ava I thought I told you to wait for me?" Finn asks exhaustedly, Nate clapping as a few bubbles drift over his tiny face.

"But you says I could use the pretty bubbles." Ava says plopping into the water and giggling widely.

"I told you _later." _ Finn points out.

"Well its _later_ Daddy, you told me that since breakfast." Ava points out, and Finn shakes his head not believing he just got out smarted by his three year old, "Can Natey bubble bath too?"

"Maybe when he's a little older." Finn answers, smiling at Nate who stretches for a bubble that floats by, he and Rachel haven't discussed it yet, and well he knows Rachel would probably want to be there for Nate's first bubble bath adventure.

"Now start soaping up, Ava bug, I'm just going to put Nate back in his crib so I can help you." Finn says turning off the taps when the water is knee high for Ava, "Don't put the taps back on."

"But I'm a big girl Daddy!" Ava protests slapping the water making bubbles fly, both she and Nate bursting out into giggles.

"I know, but even big girls need help sometimes." Finn points out, "I help getting the Christmas decorations out of the closet for Mommy don't I?"

"Dats cause Momma's so short daddy." Ava says pointedly, "You helps her with the Canaku candles too, sides Momma's not a big girl, she's a Mommy."

Finn chuckles deciding not to argue with that, "Soap up baby girl. I'll be back."

He looks at Ava splashing in the water and then Nathan who claps each time and he just shakes his head moving to sitting on the closed toilet seat, perching Nathan on his knees facing Ava.

"Natey bathe too?" Ava asks again leaning over the tub, dripping water everywhere as she touches Nathan's nose gently, "Look Daddy him likes it!"

"He does." Finn says rubbing Nathan's nose free of bubble residue.

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><p><em>An hour later<em>

Ava is _finally_ in her little elf costume, complete with green tights and little green boots with bells at the end, and her hat, which Finn suspects will _not_ come off till Christmas, placed on her tiny little head, thankfully she forgot all about the pigtails. Chris is all dressed up as is Finn, Nate is sleeping in his crib as Finn tries to convince Chris Spongebob socks are not for Christmas.

"Chris, don't you want to match Nate and I?" Finn asks, knowing that tactic worked with Ava.

Chris looks at Finn incredulously, with one raised eyebrow, "I'm not Uncle Kurt Daddy. "

Finn bites his lip to hold back his laughter, sometimes his kids are even too smart for him, although it shouldn't surprise him that Chris associated anything to with clothing with Kurt, seeing as Kurt has been trying to drill some 'fashion sense' into all of his kids since before they could walk claiming that he and Rachel are poor examples and that neither of his nephews or niece will be victims of such a crime.

Overall Chris does have point, he's about to argue more when he hears the sound of the bells ringing, signalling the front door opening. Rachel goes a little overboard with the Christmas _and_ Hanuukah decorations. Finn groans cause he's _still_ trying to get one son fully dressed and the other one still sound asleep in his pyjamas.

"Crap." Finn mutters.

"Daddy said a bad word!" Ava says in a singsong voice from on her bed.

Finn rolls his eyes, "Mommy's home, Chris _please_ take off those socks."

Finn quickly heads to the foyer smiling brightly when he sees Rachel now taking off her coat, shaking off some of the snow, three guys with photography equipment trailing behind her, "Hey babe."

"Hey! I ran into Kevin and his guys in the street, the snows starting to come down." Rachel says brightly kissing Finn briefly as she ushers the three men in, "Where the kids?"

"In their room."

"You can start setting up in the living room." Rachel tells the three men, then looks back at Finn, "I told Kevin he can start with the kids shots while I get ready, that way we won't waste any time."

"About that..." Finn says uncomfortably, bracing himself for the blow up, and sure enough Rachel holds up a hand, her eyes narrowing.

"One thing, I ask you one thing." Rachel mutters shaking her head as she walks off to the kitchen, pulling out some glasses and a jug of water on a tray for Kevin and his crew, while flicking on the kettle, "I told you I could have gotten out of one of the interviews."

"Babe, I got both Ava and Chris dressed, I can put Nate in his outfit before the guys even set up," Finn protests as he follows behind her into the living room and then down the hallway to the bedrooms.

Rachel turns around to face him a hand against her chest, "Finn why do like to scare me like that?"

Finn chuckles pulling Rachel to him, "Would you believe me if I said I find angry Rachel a turn on?"

Rachel throws her head back and laughs as she loops her hands around his neck going on her tip toes, "Babe, I know when you purposely do things to get me riled up, but we both know you were _actually_ scared I was going to cut you off for not having all our little munchkins ready."

Finn grins sheepishly bending his head to kiss her softly, "You know me too well."

"It comes from being in love with you for over 15 years." Rachel says with a smile kissing him again before she pulls back, "Now, where's my littlest man?"

Finn laughs, "Sleeping in his crib, watching Ava's bath time turn miniature production tired the little guy out, he's probably hungry by now, you forgot to pump some milk before you left. I figured since you were only gone for a few hours I'd wait rather than give him the formula, I know how much you hate giving him that artificial stuff."

"If he's hungry when we wake him, I'll feed him before I get ready. I know...Finn where is my son?" Rachel asks her voice rising with each word as they step into the nursery.

Finn looks at Nate's crib his eyes wide, the handle bar still latched but the crib was empty, as Rachel starts circling the room in panic, "How could you lose our _son_?"

When Finn sees one of the stools pressed right up against crib, he relaxes in realization and points it out, "Look, Chris probably took him."

"Chris is _five_ Finn why are you so calm about this!" Rachel screeches taking off, Finn follows hotly on her heels, but movement at the corner of his eye catches his attention and he stops at their bedroom and smiles at the sight, "Babe?"

"Finn, the kids aren't in their room! Why are you just standing there! Our children are _missing_ and you're..._oh_." Rachel trails off as she comes to halt by their doorway.

All three of their children are sitting in the centre of the bed, Chris has Nate on his lap sucking his hand, and Ava has 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' on her lap and Chris is reading from the book, although Finn is pretty sure their son more memorised the kids favourite Christmas story, cause ever so often Ava would chime in as well and Nate will happily slap the book. Both Chris and Ava still have on their respective Christmas hats, a Santa for him and an elf for Ava, their little legs stretched out in front of them. Ava is resting her head on Chris' shoulder, one hand holding up the book across their knees and Nate is leaning back on Chris' chest smiling happily at the sound of his brother and sister's voices.

Finn doesn't know how long they stand there, but when he feels Rachel wrap her arm around his waist and hugs him, he looks down and smiles at her in return. He knows they are going to have to have a talk with Chris about taking his little brother on his own, but for now all three of their kids are fine and just perfect really. "It will make a perfect picture."

"Ooh, we should just get Nate is his little Santa outfit first." Rachel says just as quietly not to disturb the kids.

"Rach just pull out your phone." Finn says in amusement, "I'll get Kevin to grab his camera, who knows if we'll get all three of them to be that quiet again."

He slowly slips out of her hands and just as he's leaving he hears Rachel call out, "Finn! Is Chris wearing _Spongebob_ socks?"

Finn eyes widen and quickly sprints down the hallway, knowing he'll hear about that later, but for now he knows she'll just get sucked in how cute and _perfect_ their three kids are.

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><p><em>Something cute and funny for Christmas. Hope you all enjoyed it and it made you smile. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone :)<em>

_Reviews are love ;-)_


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